The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of system disengagement notification means and more specifically relates to a derail alarm system.
2. Description of Related Art
Railway systems consist of metal rails, concrete or wood railroad ties, and a bed of crushed stone, called ballast. Although fixed in appearance, railway systems are dynamic and deform due to the forces created when a train travels over the metal rails. The metal rails generally return to their original position after a train passes. Over time, however, the metal rails shift and if they shift enough, railway operators are required to implement temporary speed restrictions, until the metal rails are restored to their original position. As a result, railway systems are maintained by applying leveling, lifting, lining, and tamping forces in the ballast until the metal rails and railroad ties are returned to their proper positions.
A tamping machine accomplishes the maintenance required to align the metal rails. A component of this machine, called a tamping projector buggy is used to project beams of light to receivers located on the tamping machine and enable the computer program and the operator to assess the variation in the metal rail alignment and make any changes necessary to the lift, alignment or tamping cycle to achieve the desired results. The tamping projector buggy is connected to the tamping machine via a pushing mechanism which may variably push the tamping projector buggy 40-100 feet ahead of the tamping machine, depending on the needs of the tamping machine operator and the general railway system environment. When compared to the weight of the tamping machine, the tamping projector buggy is considered to be very lightweight.
It is critical for the tamping projector buggy to maintain correct positioning with the metal rails to properly assess the condition of the metal rails. Due to the lightweight nature of the tamping projector buggy, it can be derailed by ballast, which may be pushed up against the metal rails, or pushed on top of the metal rails. The tamping projector buggy may also be derailed by moving through rail-switches, or by moving against broken, worn or damaged rails. In addition, transporting a tamping machine and tamping projector buggy to various work locations may require the machine and tamping projector buggy to travel at normal railway system speeds whereas bumps or misalignments of the metal rails can derail the tamping projector buggy.
When a tamping projector buggy is derailed, it can be damaged, which may require costly repairs. Also, when operating in a derailed condition, the information fed to the tamping machine may be incorrect, resulting in bad, or incomplete alignment of the metal rails. No tamping projector buggies presently have a means to notify a tamping machine operator that the tamping projector buggy is in a derailed condition. A suitable solution is desired.
Several attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. and Pub. Nos. 2006/0032063 to Tomasello et. al.; 2013/0030685 to Goetting; 2015/0083013 to Carney; U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,690 to Applegate et. al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,876 to Theurer et. al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,834 to John; U.S. Pat. No. 2,832,148 to Rousse; U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,146 to Bradshaw et. al.; and CA Pat No. 2,865,093 to Spence. This art is representative of system disengagement notification means. However, none of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Preferably, the derail alarm system should provide a signaling means to an operator when a tamping projector buggy has derailed, and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable derail alarm system to avoid the above-mentioned problems.